In many ultrasound imaging systems, transducer element signals are generated in a hand-held probe unit and sent to a system console through a multi-channel cable system. In some ultrasound systems, a probe may utilize a relatively large two dimensional (2D) array of 2000 to 20000 transducer elements with each element connected to the console via a separate channel within the cable system. There are applications in which it is desirable for large ultrasound arrays to contain thousands or tens of thousands of transducer elements. As the number of the individual transducer elements increases, the number of separate channels similarly increases.
Today, one or more flexible circuits are connected to the transducer elements to form the individual channels that convey signals to and from corresponding transducer elements. Each flexible circuit includes an array of conductive traces sandwiched between insulating layers, where each conductive trace is connected to a corresponding transducer element. Multiple flexible circuits are stacked upon one another to provide a sufficient number of conductive traces to match the number of transducer elements. As the number of transducer elements increases within the probe, the number of flexible circuits within the stack similarly increases which results in a stack of flexible circuits that becomes excessively thick and inflexible. The stack of flexible circuits is relatively inflexible and cannot easily bend around sharp corners. Instead, the thickness of the stack of flexible circuits limits the radius of curvature. The size and limited flexibility of the stack of conventional flexible circuits causes the stack of flexible circuits to take up a substantial amount of room within the housing of the probe which ultimately limits the ability to provide compact and a small probes that have a large number of individual transducer elements.